This Act places a duty on local authorities to work with other agencies for the benefit of children. For example it requires local authorities to work with the police, health services and youth offending teams. They should work together to promote the wellbeing of children and young people in their area. This is to help keep children safe. (Sections 10 and 11 of the Act provide this).
The Act places a duty on local authorities to appoint people who are accountable for the delivery of children’s services. This includes a director of children’s services. It also requires local authorities to appoint a lead member for children’s services. This person is an elected councillor. (Sections 18 and 19 of the Act provide this).
The Act required every local authority to set up a local safeguarding children board (Sections 13-16). It set out specific requirements of how that board should be made up. This requirement was changed by the Children and Social Work Act 2017. This 2017 Act allows more flexibility in how safeguarding arrangements are set up locally.
The Children Act 2004 also enabled the introduction of regulations to bring in a minimum fostering allowance. This is set out in Section 49 of the Act.